Pepe believes Real Madrid were “hated” during the spell in which they were coached by Jose Mourinho. Mourinho spent three years in charge of Madrid between 2010 and 2013, during which he became embroiled in feuds with Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola as well his club captain Iker Casillas. Pepe feels such conduct from the Portuguese led to opposition fans from across Spain having little respect for the Madrid players when they took to the pitch each week. “Under Mourinho, people hated us when we got out there,” Pepe told Cadena Ser. “It lasted three years and thank God it went…
Author: David Folami
Carlo Ancelotti was keeping his feet firmly on the ground after seeing Bayern Munich launch their Champions League campaign in style with a 5-0 demolition of FC Rostov. Bayern, who have reached the semifinals for the past three seasons, opened their Group D account with a record 13th successive home victory in the competition, but Ancelotti was refusing to be carried away. He told www.uefa.com: “It was a good start to our Champions League campaign. It was difficult to score early on, we didn’t have many chances. We got there. “At the moment, the team is in good condition, both…
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone hailed an “enormous effort” by his side after they began Champions League Group D with a hard-fought 1-0 win at PSV Eindhoven. Saul Niguez’s fine volley shortly before half-time was enough to decide an open game in which last year’s UCL finalists were just barely the better side against a team which had pushed them to penalties in the last 16 in the 2015-16 competition. PSV rued an early Luuk de Jong header ruled out for a debatable push, a dubiously awarded penalty taken by Andres Guardado saved by Atletico keeper Jan Oblak, and a…
Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny has called on the Gunners to start games better after conceding in the first minute against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Arsene Wenger’s side had to battle back for a 1-1 draw through Alexis Sanchez’s second-half equaliser after Edinson Cavini put PSG ahead after just 42 seconds, finishing off a quick attack after the Gunners defence were caught out of position. It came just three days after Arsenal had to fight from a goal down to win 2-1 against Southampton in the Premier League, and Koscielny said the team must stop digging themselves a hole to climb…
Luis Enrique believes Lionel Messi would be the best player in the world wherever he plays on the pitch after watching the Argentine score the 40th hat-trick of his career in Barcelona’s 7-0 win against Celtic. It was Messi’s sixth treble in the history of the Champions League — more than any other player — and the first goal arrived in just the third minute. A dazzling exchange of passes with Neymar led to the second before Luis Suarez teed up the third in the second half. And despite standout performances from several players — including Neymar, who created four…
Lionel Messi bagged a hat-trick and Neymar grabbed four assists as Barcelona launched their Champions League campaign in style with a 7-0 thrashing of Celtic on Tuesday. Messi and Neymar were reunited with Luis Suarez from the start for the first time this season and took no time in getting reacquainted as all three were on the scoresheet. Two goals from Messi either side of Moussa Dembele’s missed penalty for Celtic gave Barca a comfortable halftime lead. And there was no let-up for the Scottish champions after the break as Neymar, Messi, Andres Iniesta and a Suarez double completed the…
The first goal of the 2016/2017 Champions League group stages came after a mere 42 seconds from the head of Paris Saint Germain striker Edinson Cavani at the Parc des Princes against Arsenal. The strike was PSG’s quickest in the Champions League, but the French champions, and Cavani in particular, were guilty of failing to convert a succession of golden opportunities. The worst possible start for Arsenal hinted at a potential lopsided affair but the Gunners got out of jail with Alexis Sanchez’s leveller inside the final quarter of an hour. Both sides ended a man down after Olivier Giroud…
Barcelona’s lethal MSN – Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar – dissected Celtic 7-0 while a deluge washed out Pep Guardiola’s eagerly awaited first Champions League game in charge of Manchester City on Tuesday. There was no rain but there was a flood of goals at the Camp Nou, where a sparkling Messi hat-trick with four assists and a goal from Neymar, Andres Iniesta and a Suarez brace humiliated Celtic. “There can be no embarrassment because they do that to better teams than ourselves,” said Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers. “They are special players. It is a front three that can…
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has attributed the current economic recession in the country to the loss of revenue as a result of pipeline vandals activities. Answering questions from journalists in Abeokuta on Sunday, September 11, 2016, Osinbajo said almost 60 per cent revenue has been lost due to the activities of pipelines vandals in the Niger-Delta. Osinbajo also disclosed that the nation has lost almost 40 per cent of the gas but expressed optimism that the country would soon overcome its challenges. He said: “One of the key reasons why we are in recession is the fact that we lost…
Borno Government has no plans to force Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), whose communities had been liberated by the military to return back home, Gov. Kashim Shettima, has said. The governor made the statement on Monday while speaking with newsmen shortly after performing the two rakaat Eid prayers in Konduga, headquarters of Konduga Local Government Area. “I want to say without any fear of contradiction that government has no plan to force any persons back home to his or her community. “We will not compel individuals to go back to their place,’’ Shettima, who was accompanied by the Director-General, National Orientation…
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Monday urged Muslim faithful in the state to pray for peace and unity of the country. Ikpeazu made the call in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Enyinnaya Appolos and made available to newsmen in Umuahia. He also said that Nigerians must be prepared to make sacrifices for the growth and development of the country. “The willingness to sacrifice what we love for greater good of our country would lead Nigerians to prosperity and help engender peace and love in the nation,’’ Ikpeazu was quoted as saying. The governor prayed that…
President Muhammadu Buhari has again blamed the depleted state of the nation on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said after 16 years that the party was in power, his administration inherited no savings and infrastructure. The President said this in statement signed by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and issued to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, September 12. Buhari said: “We should thank God this year; the report I’m getting, which is very pleasing, is that we will have bumper harvest this year. “I want Nigerians to realise that what this government…
Thousands of Ogun State residents on Monday, September 12, were said to have trooped to the home of Senator Buruji Kashamu for Sallah largesse. Kashamu, who represents the Ogun East Senatorial District in the Senate, gave out bags of rice among other food items to Muslim faithful for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has opposed the idea of her accepting a political appointment from President Muhammadu Buhari. She said she has proudly served the nation to the best of her ability for seven years, and will not take any offer to serve in the Nigerian government again. Speaking as a guest on Al-Jazeera, Okonjo-Iweala said she has learnt to talk less as she has grown older. When was asked if she would take a position in the Buhari administration if offered, she said: “I served my country for seven years and it was a great honor. The…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to seize properties worth N3 billion from former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, reports say. The properties are said to be located in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, according to The Nation. Officials of the EFCC are also said to have seized an asset worth N500 million and located in Abuja from Alison-Madueke who is being investigated for money laundering. “Based on latest intelligence, we have been able to trace more choice assets to Mrs. Alison-Madueke in Port Harcourt. We have drafted more operatives in Rivers State,” an EFCC source said.…
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the current financial crisis in the country is temporary. Tinubu also said that the economic downturn wasn’t caused by the ruling APC. The APC leader made the comments in a Sallah message released by his media office in commemoration of the Eid-el-Kabir festival. The message reads: During this Season of Eid-el-Kabir, I wish to felicitate with the Muslim brotherhood. We must give thanks to almighty Allah for keeping us alive to celebrate this Eid. This spirit of sacrifice and unselfish giving that defines this celebration must…
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that his government is working to bring the Niger Delta militancy to an end. Buhari also said that only guilty people will be prosecuted in his administration’s war against corruption. The president made the comments on Monday, September 12, after observing Eid prayers in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State. According to a statement released by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president said: “Nigerians can see what we have done on Boko Haram and what we are doing to resolve the problem in the Niger Delta. Before the elections,…
Former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja has criticized President Muhammadu Buhari’s recently launched “Change Begins With Me” programme. According to Ladoja, change must start from Buhari and members of his cabinet. The former governor made the comments while speaking to journalists at his home in Ibadan, Oyo State, after observing the Eid prayers. “I think the change starts with President Buhari. Look at what INEC said about the change in date in Edo State election. They said it is colossal waste and nobody has convinced us about the postponement. They cited security reasons. Billions of naira has gone down the…
Yesterday, September 11, 2016, Nigerian disc jockey, DJ Xclusive set fire to the city of Lagos as he held his all white party at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos. A concert designed to bring together phenomenal performances, Xclusive sure didn’t disappoint with his jaw-dropping entrance as he enthralled the audience. Carefully conceptualised and executed, the concert prides itself as being the biggest of 2016. Harrysongz, Falz the Bahd Guy and Skales set the place into a frenzy when they performed their hit songs. Meanwhile, Olu Maintain took us way back thrilling the crowd to his old musical ‘Yahooze’. Not too…
Nigerian singer Lami Phillips has given birth to a baby girl. The soul singer announced the good news on her Instagram page on September 10, 2016. “Thank you Lord. Our#sunshine joined us yesterday and she is way more perfect than my mind could have conceived . We are all well. It’s time to sit back and enjoy the moment so excuse me for a few days. @labillion#bestie and I thank you and appreciate your prayers. We the Gbadamosi family are simply blessed. #GUnit1#LamiBun2016 no longer INFANTICIPATED..” she wrote on her page. Lami Phillips has been married to Labo Gbadamosi for…